Sheezus, take the wheel! Take it off my hands because here comes Lily Allen! The Grammy-nominated artist is swinging through Seattle on October 4, set to perform at the Paramount Theatre. Fresh from mocking Beyonce's 'Drunk in Love' music video, and also with the much-anticipated release of her new album, Sheezus, Allen is embarking on her first U.S. jaunt in several years. Her show will probably include the hits 'Smile,' 'The Fear,' 'Not Fair,' 'LDN,' and the title track from her latest record. At press time, ticket information wasn't available, but I hope to have it for you soon.

The musical lineup for Bumbershoot has now been revealed. While it isn't my favorite, in comparison to years past, there are a few artists worth checking out at Seattle Center Labor Day Weekend. Foster the People, J Cole, Wu-Tang Clan, Panic! at the Disco, Neon Trees, Big Freedia, Bobby Womack, The Head and the Heart, Gregory Porter, The Replacements and Elvis Costello are some of the performers slated to appear during the summer-ending festival right underneath the Space Needle. Exact dates are August 30 through September 1. For ticket information and the full roster of entertainers, including comedians and lecturers, go to www.bumbershoot.org.

If you prefer a mellow to raucous Pride Week, look no further than next month's Earshot Jazz Summer Concert Series. A trio of performances is scheduled for consecutive nights on June 26, 27 and 28 at Seattle Art Museum's Plestcheef Auditorium. The first evening features trumpeter-composer Ambrose Akinmusire backed by a full band that includes tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown. Also on Thursday is saxophonist Darius Jones with piano trio Tarbaby, comprised of bassist/composer Eric Revis, pianist Orrin Evans, and renowned drummer Nasheet Waits. On the middle night, the group Human Feel (Chris Speed and Andrew D'Angelo on saxophones, Jim Black on drums, Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitars) performs, along with chamber-jazz brass quartet The Westerlies (trumpeters Riley Mulherkar and Zubin Hensler, plus trombonists Willem de Koch and Andy Clausen), all former Seattle high school graduates. Rounding out the series on Sunday is Icelandic jazz pianist Sunna Gunnlaugs joined by bassist Thorgrimur Jónsson and American drummer Scott McLemore. They'll be followed by pianist-vocalist-composer Dawn Clement, a Cornish College of the Arts faculty member, and her bandmates, Byron Vannoy on drums and Geoff Harper on bass. Tickets for each concert, priced between 18 and 24, are available at www.brownpapertickets.com or 1-800-838-3006.

Congratulations are in order to Clay Aiken, who has officially won a Democratic Primary in his home state of North Carolina. A close race with opponent Keith Crisco ended abruptly when the 71-year old died at his home, although Aiken had already secured a substantial lead to claim victory in the state's second congressional district. The former 'American Idol' finalist now faces a tougher challenge against GOP incumbent Renee Elmers in the General Election this fall.

Finally, Seattle Gay News will have a writer and photographer on-site for this year's sold out Sasquatch Festival Memorial Day Weekend. The three-day event, taking place at The Gorge Amphitheatre, features an exciting lineup, including M.I.A., Foster the People, Big Freedia, Violent Femmes, Haim and Major Lazer, just to name a few.

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